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/STAY · LOCAL RULES · AUSTIN, TX

Austin short-term rental rules

Since October 2025, every rental of less than 30 days in Austin needs a city operator's license, and the old Type 1, 2 and 3 permits are gone. Austin doesn't require a sign on the wall, but it does require two things be available to every guest.

Checked on Nov 11 2026 against the official pages below

The three things to know

PERMIT

An operator's license for each rental, good up to 2 years: $736.60 new, $369.60 to renew, neighbors notified each time. You must own or lease the unit. On small sites one person can run up to 2; others must be 1,000 feet apart. Applications and renewals pause Nov 16 to Dec 3 2026.

DOOR NOTICE

No sign is required. The code says guests must have the city's information packet (it comes with your license) and a list of where the fire extinguishers are. The city's page says to keep the packet in a common area guests can see.

TAX

11% City of Austin hotel tax (9% + 2% venue) plus 6% Texas hotel tax. Since April 2025, platforms collect the city tax on their bookings, but you still file quarterly city reports, even at zero. Direct bookings: you collect both.

Print the door notice

Austin's code asks you to give guests a list of fire extinguisher locations (sec. 4-23-34(E)). This prints that list with your local contact, to keep with the city's packet in a common area. It's not a required sign, just the list the code asks for.

Type what you know. Anything left empty prints as a line to write on, so it works as a blank form too. What you type stays on this phone.

AUSTIN SHORT-TERM RENTAL

Fire extinguishers and your local contact

Provided to guests under Austin City Code sec. 4-23-34(E).

    Austin City Code sec. 4-23-34(E). Page made free at headedin.com/stay/rules/austin/

    Prints one letter page. Keep it with the city's information packet in a common area guests will see.

    What the rules say

    Who needs a license
    "A person must obtain an operator's license to operate a short-term rental."Sec. 4-23-32(A)
    • Any rental of "less than 30 consecutive days" (sec. 4-23-1). One license per rental, good up to 2 years, not transferable.
    • Short-term rentals are allowed with a residential use "in all base zoning districts" (sec. 25-2-904). The old Type 1, 2 and 3 rules are repealed.
    • Who: the operator "must own or lease" the unit (sec. 4-23-31).
    • Density (sec. 4-23-31): on sites with 3 or fewer units, one person can run up to 2; other sites must be 1,000 feet apart; on bigger sites, 25% or 10% of units depending on the use.
    • Fees (city page): $736.60 new ($642 + $94.60 neighbor notice), $369.60 renewal. Takes 6 to 10 weeks.
    • No routine inspection; the city can require one after recent violations.
    • Pause: the city says new applications, renewals and hotel tax payments stop Nov 16 to Dec 3 2026; its new system opens Dec 4.
    • The city's page still links some old Type 1/2/3 forms; go by the code and the city's current instructions.
    What guests must be given
    "An operator must make the following available to each guest: (1) a copy of the information packet described in Section 4-23-41… and (2) a list of fire extinguisher locations in the short-term rental."Sec. 4-23-34(E)

    The city writes the packet and sends it with your license: the local contact, noise and amplified sound limits, parking, trash schedule, burn bans, water restrictions and ADA information (sec. 4-23-41(E)). The city's page says to keep it "in a conspicuous common area of the STR." No sign is required inside or out.

    Local contact, ads, noise
    • Local contact (sec. 4-23-33): a person in Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop or Caldwell County who responds "Within two hours" and comes on site within 2 hours if the city asks. Missing that can cost the license.
    • Ads carry the license number (sec. 4-23-32(D)). Since July 1 2026, platforms require it and delist unlicensed rentals within 10 days of the city's notice.
    • Noise (sec. 4-23-34): sound equipment capped at 75 dB at the property line 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; nothing heard past the property line 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
    • Penalty: up to $500 a day (sec. 4-23-51).
    Taxes
    "The City of Austin's Hotel Occupancy Tax rate is 11 percent, comprised of a nine percent occupancy tax and an additional two percent venue project tax."City of Austin, hotel occupancy taxes
    • Since April 1 2025, platforms that take payment collect and send the city tax. You still file quarterly city reports, zero ones too.
    • Texas hotel tax, 6%. The Comptroller says a host who books only through a platform that collects it doesn't have to collect it; direct bookings, you do (Form AP-102).
    • Stays of 30 days or more in a row aren't taxed.

    House rules go in your listing

    For bookings made from Nov 20 2026, Airbnb wants every house rule in the listing itself; signs in the house can only repeat them. This notice only carries what Austin requires, so it adds no new rules. Put quiet hours, parking and the rest in your listing first.

    Official sources, read Nov 11 2026

    Plain-words summary, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, and the official page always wins. Checked Nov 11 2026.

    Help us get it right

    Host in Austin? If a rule, fee or form here has changed, or we missed something, tell us. We check every note against the official source before we change a page, and we put the new checked date on it.

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